The present invention relates to a construction element for a toy construction set.
Construction elements in the form of connectable blocks, beams, flat rods, etc., are known and commercially available. In such construction elements bores are used to couple two construction elements with each other by inserting connecting parts which lock into the bore. Such a plug-like connecting part is known from Swiss patent CH-PS 658 887, for example.
Furthermore, from the Swiss patent a connecting device is known with a pair of connection parts for detachable, rigid connection of a plurality of longitudinal toy construction elements such as shafts and rods at different angular positions. The connection parts contain a bushing with a cylindrical surface, wherein one front face of the bushing has a toothed edge. Adjacent bushings of this type can be brought into a rigid engagement with each other by nesting the toothed edges, whereby the angular position of the bushings is selectable in accordance with the pitch of the teeth of the toothed edges.
Flat rods are commercially available, in a toy set of the type described, wherein each is provided with an end bore having a toothed edge encompassing one face of a bore so as to provide a rigid connection in a selectable angular position with another construction element which also has a toothed edge, for example, a flat rod or a bushing.
These known and commercially available construction elements have a fundamental disadvantage for toy-construction sets which are based on a defined construction module, (i.e. wherein the dimensions of the elements as well as the positioning of coupling means on the elements are based on a module dimension) since the toothed edges of the corresponding construction elements cannot be randomly formed with respect to their thickness and longitudinal dimensions. As a consequence of this, during assembly of a plurality of such construction elements the module of the construction unit cannot be adhered to in many connection cases as a result of the engagement of their toothed edges. This complicates the construction of certain toy models or renders the same impossible.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a construction element of the aforementioned type which is provided with a tooth construction in the area of the bore which permits the element to adhere to a module during random assembly with another adjacent construction element.